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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23744437">The Royal Hound</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiraly/pseuds/Kiraly'>Kiraly</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Queen's Thief - Megan Whalen Turner</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Poetry, Satire</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:15:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>159</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23744437</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiraly/pseuds/Kiraly</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>While Costis is forced to dance attendance on the king, a humorous new song circulates among the court.</p><p>(A poem)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Multifandom Poetry Fest 2018</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Royal Hound</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wrote this for the <a href="https://minutia-r.dreamwidth.org/58291.html">Multifandom Poetry Fest</a> a few years ago, and apparently I never posted it here. Since I'm planning to read it for the poetry round robin in the Queen's Thief discord server tonight, I thought I would go ahead and put it here too. The prompt was "satirical poems going around court" so of course my mind went to the court intrigues in <i>The King of Attolia</i>.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The creatures of Attolia's fair court<br/>
some kept for pleasure only, some for sport<br/>
to chase unwanted villains from the grounds<br/>
and then return to give a full report<br/>
<br/>
But in among these baying, howling hounds,<br/>
there's one most fierce and loyal in his rounds<br/>
He'll take no time to sleep or drink or sing<br/>
too lofty for such ordinary sounds<br/>
<br/>
Of course, when one is set to guard a king<br/>
one cannot rest or stop for anything<br/>
Or else his queen will fix him with a look<br/>
and he will feel her disappointment's sting<br/>
<br/>
And so this dog must play it by the book<br/>
pay penance for the foolish swing he took<br/>
do what he can to keep himself afloat<br/>
until perhaps one day he's off the hook<br/>
<br/>
So this is not to patronize or gloat<br/>
for soldiers all must trail their master's coat<br/>
But rather, future punishments to thwart<br/>
or play the sheepdog to the royal goat.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>In case anyone is curious about the poetic structure, it's a <a href="http://thepoetsgarret.com/2015Challenge/form18.html">Rubaiyat</a>!  Multifandom Poetry Fest is a fun time to play around and try new things, I've ended up with some neat poems I wouldn't have otherwise tried.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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